Retractable ball point pen

ABSTRACT

A retractable ball point pen includes a barrel which houses a replaceable ball point cartridge which is slidably protractable and retractable and spring biased to a retracted position. A follower bears on the cartridge inner end and a clip member includes a bracket projecting through an upper slot in the barrel and having opposing inclined slots slidably and swingably engaging pivot projections on the upper faces of the follower. The lower end of the clip member includes a cam surface which engages the follower so that inward pressure on the follower lowers it to protract and latch the cartridge and the clip is provided with an arm projecting above the bracket and pressure on the arm swings the cam outwardly to release the follower and cartridge to their retracted positions.

United States Patent [191 Ganz [ Nov. 18, 1975 RETRACTABLE BALL POINT PEN [75] Inventor: Walter C. Ganz, New York, NY.

[73] Assignee: K. C. Pen Co., inc, Brooklyn, NY.

[22] Filed: May 9, 1974 [21] Appl. No.: 468,559

FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 798,155 7/1958 United Kingdom 401/104 Primary Examiner-Lawrence Charles Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Howard C. Miskin [57] ABSTRACT A retractable ball point pen includes a barrel which houses a replaceable ball point cartridge which is slidably protractable and retractable and spring biased to a retracted position. A follower bears on the cartridge inner end and a clip member includes a bracket projecting through an upper slot in the barrel and having opposing inclined slots slidably and swingably engaging pivot projections on the upper faces of the follower. The lower end of the clip member includes a cam surface which engages the follower so that inward pressure on the follower lowers it to protract and latch the cartridge and the clip is provided with an arm projecting above the bracket and pressure on the arm swings the cam outwardly to release the follower and cartridge to their retracted positions.

10 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures U. S. Patent Nov. 18, 1975 Sheet10f2 3,920,337

RETRACTABLE BALL POINT PEN BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates generally to improvements in writing implements and it relates more particularly to an improved retractable, replaceable cartridge ball point pen in which the advance and retraction of the writing element is effected by the simple manipulation of a clip member carried by the writing implement.

There are many types of propel-repel mechanisms employed and proposed for use in the protraction and retraction of the writing element in ball point pens but these have been generally of a complex nature or difficult and inconvenient to operate and frequently unreliable. Among such propel-repel mechanisms which have heretofore been available or proposed is a type in which the advance of the writing element to its extended position is effected by the radial inward depression of a clip member carried by the pen. While such an arrangement is highly convenient, the associated mechanism possesses numerous drawbacks and disadvantages. It is generally complex, inconvenient to employ, or little reliability and commonly subject to malfunctioning and damage and otherwise leaving much to be desired.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is a principal object of the present invention to provide an improved writing element of the writing element propel-repel type.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved replaceable cartridge ball point pen of the cartridge propel-repel type, in which the point is inherently withdrawn before the pen can be clipped in a pocket.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide an improved protractable retractable ball point pen in which the advance end retraction of the writing element is effected by manipulation of a clip member carried by the pen.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a device of the above nature characterized by its reliability, ruggedness, ease and convenience of operation, simplicity and low cost and high versatility and adaptability.

The above and other objects of the present invention .will become apparent from a reading of the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings which illustrate a preferred embodiment thereof.

* In a sense the present invention contemplates the provision of a retractable writing implement comprising a barrel member, an elongated writing element disposed in the barrel member and longitudinally movable between a retracted position and an advanced position projecting through an opening at the bottom of the barrel, a spring urging and writing element to its retracted position, a follower longitudinally slidably disposed in the upper part of the barrel and in engagement with the upper part of the writing element, the barrel member having an opening registering with the follower and a clip mounted on the upper part of the barrel for swinging about a transverse axis between the top and bottom of the clip, the clip including upper and lower arms extending above and below the transverse axis, the lower arm having a cam at its lower end registering with the barrel opening and provided with an inwardly upwardly inclined downwardly facing cam face engaging an upwardly facing portion of the follower whereby inward swinging of the lower arm effects the downward movement of the follower and writing element and the outward swinging of the upper arm to an outwardly extended position and the inward swinging of the upper arm from its extended position swings the lower arm outwardly and the raising of the follower and writing element.

In the preferred form of the writing implement the follower is provided at its upper part with laterally axially aligned opposite pivot projections provided with outwardly converging end faces and a depending transversely offset pair of parallel transversely spaced arms joined by a bottom ledge projecting transversely toward the barrel opening. The clip includes a pair of laterally spaced bracket plates having inclined longitudinal slots slidably swingably engaging the pivot elements and the cam engages the upper face of the follower bottom ledge. The writing element extends longitudinally inclined to the vertical, between the follower spaced arms and into engagement with a downwardly facing surface at the upper part of the follower.

The improved writing implement is rugged, reliable, simple, inexpensive and easy and convenient to use.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a ball point pen embodying the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a medial longitudinal sectional view of the assembled pen shown in a retracted condition;

FIG. 2A is a view similar to FIG. 2 but showing the pen in a protracted condition;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along line 3-3 in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along line 44 in FIG. 2; and

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along line 5-5 in FIG. 2.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to the drawings which illustrate a preferredembodiment of the present invention as applied to a replaceable cartridge ball point pen, the reference numeral 10 generally designates the improved pen which comprises a hollow elongated barrel 11 formed of metal or other suitable material. The barrel 11 ineludes separable upper and lower coaxial end to end sections 12 and 13 respectively, which are separably joined by a stepped collar 14 having upper and lower portions of reduced and increased diameter delineated by a peripheral shoulder.

The barrel lower section 13 is provided with a conical bottom portion 16 tapering to restricted end opening 17 at the tip thereof and the barrel upper section 12 is provided with a conical top portion 18 terminating in a closed end wall 19. Formed in the wall of barrel top section 12 and extending longitudinally from the base of conical portion 18 is a relatively short first rectangular opening or slot 20 and a second relatively long rectangular opening or slot 21 is formed in upper barrel section 12 in longitudinal alignment with first slot 20 and extending from a point below the bottom edge of first slot 20 to a point above the bottom edge of barrel section 12.

Longitudinally slidably registering with and engaging the interior face of the upper cylindrical portion of barrel section 12 is a follower 22 which is advantageously integrally molded as a unit of a synthetic organic polymeric resin. The follower 22 includes an upper narrow block section 23, which extends diametrically of the barrel section 12 at about the level of slot 20 and has a cylindrical vertical end face 24, which confronts the slot 20 and is substantially coplanar with the interior cylindrical face of barrel section 12. The vertical end face of block section 23 opposite to face 24 does not reach the wall of barrel section 12.

Formed in the parallel vertical side faces 26 of block section 23 proximate the upper inner corners thereof are a pair of laterally coaxially aligned slide pivot defining projections 27 of cylindrical configuration. The half 28 of the outer end face of each pivot 27 remote from face 24 is parallel to the faces 26 and the opposite half 29 of the outer end face of each pivot 27 proximate the face 24 is inclined from the raised end face half 28 toward faces 24 and 26 and reaches at its medial portion the respective face 26. Medially depending from the block section 23 is an approximately cubic shaped section 30 having bevelled vertical edges 32 which slidably engage the interior cylindrical face of barrel section 12. The vertical front face 33 of section 30 is spaced inwardly of the cylindrical face 24 of block section 23.

A pair of laterally spaced parallel vertical arms 34 depend from the follower section and a rectangular re- A cess 36 is medially formed in the lower rear corner of section 30 and has side faces 37 coplanar with the inside faces 38 of arms 34, an inner vertical face 39 coplanar with the front faces 40 of arms 34 and a downwardly directed horizontal top face 41 aligned with the space between arms 34. Formed at, the lower front faces 40 of arms 34 and connecting the arms 34 is a forwardly projecting horizontal ledge 42 having bevelled vertical corners 43 slidably engaging the barrel wall interior face and the outer vertical edges of arms 34 are likewise so bevelled. The ledge 42 has a horizontal top face 44 and has formed in its front face a forwardly projecting medial wide rib 46 coextensive in height with ledge 42 and registering with the slot 21. Formed along the upper front edge of rib 46 is an upwardly directed laterally extending lip 47.

A clip 48 integrally formed of metal or other suitable material is swingably mounted on the upper part of the pen 10, a normally vertical relatively long lower arm 49 and a normally upwardly inwardly inclined relatively short upper arm 50 and a rearwardly projecting bracket 51 between the arms 49 and 50. The bracket 51 includes a pair of laterally spaced rearwardly projecting parallel vertical plates 52 which are coplanar with flanges 53 formed along the edges of lower arm 49. Plates 52 have formed therein transversely aligned upwardly rearwardly inclined parallel slots 54. The bracket plates 52 project through barrel slot 20 and embrace follower section 23 with the slots 24 slidably swingably engaging the pivots 27. The inclined faces 29 of pivot 27 facilitate the assembly of the clip 48, follower 22 and barrel section 12.

Formed at the lower end of arm 49 is an inwardly projecting cam member 56 having an upwardly inwardly inclined bottom cam face 57 which projects through the bottom portion of slot 21 and engages the follower lip 47. It should be noted that when the arm 49 is in its depressed or inner advanced position, as shown in FIG. 2A, the bottom apex 58 of cam 56 engages the ledge top face 44 immediately inwardly of lip 47 and the arm 50 diverges upwardly from the face of barrel section 18 and whenthe arm 53 is in its outer or retracted position as shown in FIG. 2, the upper border of cam surface 57 engages follower lip 49 and the arm 50 lies along the surface of barrel conical section 18.

Replaceably housed in the barrel 11 is a writing element 59 which is a ball point cartridge of conventional construction and extends from proximate the top end opening 17 at an angle slightly inclined to the barrel axis upwardly between the arms 34 of follower 22 and into the follower recess 36 and into engagement with the recess top face 41. Ears 60 are formed on the lower part of cartridge 59 and the cartridge terminates at its bottom in a ball point member 61 of reduced cross section which is aligned with opening 17. A helical spring 65 engages the cartridge 59 and is entrapped between the ears 60 and the inside face of the lower barrel bottom section 16 to normally resiliently urge the cartridge 59 and the follower 22 to their raised retracted positions with the ball point member 61 being fully drawn into the barrel tapered portion 16, as best shown in FIG. 2.

Considering now the operation of the improved writ ing implement 10 described above, when the cartridge 59 is in its spring biased retracted position, as shown in FIG. 2, the upper arm 50 rests on the surface of barrel A section 18 and the lower arm 49 is retracted with the. cam 56, the upper border of cam face 57 engaging fol-1 lower lip 47 to release the follower and cartridge to their raised retracted positions under the influence of. spring 65. To protract the cartridge 59, the lower clip.

arm 49 is pressed inwardly to advance cam face 57 along follower lip 47 to thereby advance the follower 22 which in turn protracts the cartridge to its fully advanced position with writing element 61 projecting through tip opening 17 and fully loads the spring 65. In the fully depressed position of arm 49 the cam apex 58 rests on follower ledge face 41 immediately inwardly of lip 47 to releasably lock the follower 22 in its depressed position. With the full inward depression of lower clip arm 49, the upper arm 50 is swung from the surface of barrel portion 18 and the bracket slots 54 swing from their inclined positions to vertical positions as shown in FIG. 2A.

To retract the cartridge 59 into the barrel the upper arm 50 is merely pressed to swing it inwardly to the face of barrel portion 18, thereby swinging the lower arm 49 outwardly so that the cam 56 releases the follower 22 to be moved upwardly by the spring loaded 1 cartridge 21. The writing implement thus returns to the cartridge retractedcondition as shown in FIG. 2.

While collar 14 was shown illustratively as a stepped cylinder, its upper portion 15 may have at least three longitudinal ribs or splines on its outer diameter shown in dotted lines at 15a for aiding in positioning cap 12. Other means for separably joining cap 12 can be utilized such as threads or the like. Also, while follower22 1. A retractable writingimplement comprising a barrel member, an elongated writing element disposed in' said barrel member and longitudinally movable be-.

tween a retracted position and an advanced position projecting through the bottom of said barrel member, spring means urging said writing element toward its retracted position, a follower member longitudinally slidably disposed in the upper part of said barrel member and in engagement with the upper part of said writing element, said barrel member having a first opening therein registering with said follower member, and a clip member mounted on the upper part of said barrel for swinging about a transverse axis between the top and bottom of said clip member, said clip member including upper and lower arms extending above and below said axis, said clip member lower arm having a cam at its lower end registering with said first opening and provided with an inwardly upwardly inclined downwardly facing cam face engaging an upwardly facing portion of said follower member, said barrel having a second opening therein above said first opening, and said clip member including an inwardly directed bracket between said upper and lower arms projecting through said second opening and swingably connected to said follower member, whereby inward swinging of said lower arm of said clip member effects the downward movement of said follower member and writing element and the outward swinging of said upper arm to an outwardly extended position and the inward swinging of said upper arm from its extended position swings said lower arm outwardly and the raising of said follower and writing element.

2. The writing implement of claim 1 wherein said follower member has a pair of laterally aligned oppositely projecting pivot elements therein and said bracket includes a pair of laterally spaced parallel vertically extending slots formed therein slidably and swingably encal when said lower arm is in its outer and inner positions respectively.

4. The writing implement of claim 2 wherein said pivot elements are integrally formed with said follower and include end faces having portions thereof proximate said opening in said barrel converging relative to each other toward said barrel.

5. The writing implement of claim 2 wherein said follower member comprises an integrally formed unit including a relatively thin upper section on opposite faces of which said pivot elements are positioned and a relatively wide section below said thin upper section and including a pair of laterally spaced depending parallel side arms joined at their bottoms by a horizontal ledge projecting toward said first opening and terminating in an upwardly extending projection engaged by said cam.

6. The writing implement of claim 5 wherein said bracket includes laterally spaced parallel plates, each plate containing one of said slots, said plates embracing said thin section of said follower and said slots engaging said pivot elements on said thin section.

7. The writing implement of claim 5 wherein said writing element is disposed between said pair of laterally spaced depending parallel side arms of said follower member.

8. The writing implement of claim 2 wherein said bracket includes laterally spaced parallel plates aligned 6 generally parallel to the longitudinal axis of said clip, each of said plates containing one of said slots.

9. A retractable writing implement comprising a barrel member, an elongated writing element disposed in said barrel member and longitudinally movable between a retracted position and an advanced position projecting through the bottom of said barrel member, spring means urging said writing element toward its retracted position, a follower member longitudinally slidably disposed in the upper part of said barrel member and in engagement with the upper part of said writing element, said barrel member having a first opening therein registering with said follower member and a clip member mounted on the upper part of said barrel for swinging about a transverse axis between the top and bottom of said clip member, said clip member including upper and lower arms extending above and below said axis, said clip member lower arm having a cam at its lower end registering with said first opening and provided with an inwardly upwardly inclined downwardly facing cam face engaging an upwardly facing portion of said follower member, said writing element being inclined to the vertical, and said follower member including a downwardly facing surface bearing on the top of said writing element, whereby inward swinging of said lower arm of said clip member effects the downward movement of said follower member and writing element and the outward swinging of said upper arm to an outwardly extended position and the inward swinging of said upper arm from its extended position swings said lower arm outwardly and the raising of said follower and writing element.

10. A retractable writing implement comprising a barrel member, an elongated writing element disposed in said barrel member and longitudinally movable between a retracted position and an advanced position projecting through the bottom of said barrel member, spring means urging said writing element toward its retracted position, a follower member longitudinally slidably disposed in the upper part of said barrel member and in engagement with the upper part of said writing element, said barrel member having a first opening therein registering with said follower member and a clip member mounted on the upper part of said barrel for swinging about a transverse axis between the top and bottom of said clip member, said clip memberincluding upper and lower arms extending above and below said axis, said clip member lower arm having a cam at its lower end registering with said first opening and provided with an inwardly upwardly inclined downwardly facing cam face engaging an upwardly facing portion of said follower member, the upper part of said barrel being of conical configuration, and said clip member upper arm in its inner position extending along the face of said barrel upper part, whereby inward swinging of said lower arm of said clip member effects the downward movement of said follower member and writing element and the outward swinging of said upper arm to an outwardly extended position and the inward swinging of said upper arm from its extended position swings said lower arm outwardly and the raising of said follower and writing element. 

1. A retractable writing implement comprising a barrel member, an elongated writing element disposed in said barrel member and longitudinally movable between a retracted position and an advanced position projecting through the bottom of said barrel member, spring means urging said writing element toward its retracted position, a follower member longitudinally slidably disposed in the upper part of said barrel member and in engagement with the upper part of said writing element, said barrel member having a first opening therein registering with said follower member, and a clip member mounted on the upper part of said barrel for swinging about a transverse axis between the top and bottom of said clip member, said clip member including upper and lower arms extending above and below said axis, said clip member lower arm having a cam at its lower end registering with said first opening and provided with an inwardly upwardly inclined downwardly facing cam face engaging an upwardly facing portion of said follower member, said barrel having a second opening therein above said first opening, and said clip member including an inwArdly directed bracket between said upper and lower arms projecting through said second opening and swingably connected to said follower member, whereby inward swinging of said lower arm of said clip member effects the downward movement of said follower member and writing element and the outward swinging of said upper arm to an outwardly extended position and the inward swinging of said upper arm from its extended position swings said lower arm outwardly and the raising of said follower and writing element.
 2. The writing implement of claim 1 wherein said follower member has a pair of laterally aligned oppositely projecting pivot elements therein and said bracket includes a pair of laterally spaced parallel vertically extending slots formed therein slidably and swingably engaging said pivot elements.
 3. The writing implement of claim 2 wherein said slots are alternatively inclined to the vertical and vertical when said lower arm is in its outer and inner positions respectively.
 4. The writing implement of claim 2 wherein said pivot elements are integrally formed with said follower and include end faces having portions thereof proximate said opening in said barrel converging relative to each other toward said barrel.
 5. The writing implement of claim 2 wherein said follower member comprises an integrally formed unit including a relatively thin upper section on opposite faces of which said pivot elements are positioned and a relatively wide section below said thin upper section and including a pair of laterally spaced depending parallel side arms joined at their bottoms by a horizontal ledge projecting toward said first opening and terminating in an upwardly extending projection engaged by said cam.
 6. The writing implement of claim 5 wherein said bracket includes laterally spaced parallel plates, each plate containing one of said slots, said plates embracing said thin section of said follower and said slots engaging said pivot elements on said thin section.
 7. The writing implement of claim 5 wherein said writing element is disposed between said pair of laterally spaced depending parallel side arms of said follower member.
 8. The writing implement of claim 2 wherein said bracket includes laterally spaced parallel plates aligned generally parallel to the longitudinal axis of said clip, each of said plates containing one of said slots.
 9. A retractable writing implement comprising a barrel member, an elongated writing element disposed in said barrel member and longitudinally movable between a retracted position and an advanced position projecting through the bottom of said barrel member, spring means urging said writing element toward its retracted position, a follower member longitudinally slidably disposed in the upper part of said barrel member and in engagement with the upper part of said writing element, said barrel member having a first opening therein registering with said follower member and a clip member mounted on the upper part of said barrel for swinging about a transverse axis between the top and bottom of said clip member, said clip member including upper and lower arms extending above and below said axis, said clip member lower arm having a cam at its lower end registering with said first opening and provided with an inwardly upwardly inclined downwardly facing cam face engaging an upwardly facing portion of said follower member, said writing element being inclined to the vertical, and said follower member including a downwardly facing surface bearing on the top of said writing element, whereby inward swinging of said lower arm of said clip member effects the downward movement of said follower member and writing element and the outward swinging of said upper arm to an outwardly extended position and the inward swinging of said upper arm from its extended position swings said lower arm outwardly and the raising of said follower and writing element.
 10. A retractable writing implement comprising a barrel member, an elongated writing element disposed in said barrel member and longitudinally movable between a retracted position and an advanced position projecting through the bottom of said barrel member, spring means urging said writing element toward its retracted position, a follower member longitudinally slidably disposed in the upper part of said barrel member and in engagement with the upper part of said writing element, said barrel member having a first opening therein registering with said follower member and a clip member mounted on the upper part of said barrel for swinging about a transverse axis between the top and bottom of said clip member, said clip member including upper and lower arms extending above and below said axis, said clip member lower arm having a cam at its lower end registering with said first opening and provided with an inwardly upwardly inclined downwardly facing cam face engaging an upwardly facing portion of said follower member, the upper part of said barrel being of conical configuration, and said clip member upper arm in its inner position extending along the face of said barrel upper part, whereby inward swinging of said lower arm of said clip member effects the downward movement of said follower member and writing element and the outward swinging of said upper arm to an outwardly extended position and the inward swinging of said upper arm from its extended position swings said lower arm outwardly and the raising of said follower and writing element. 